Elevator system with guide rail cleaning devices

ABSTRACT

An elevator system including an elevator car mounted for guided movement via guide rails in the hoistway of a building to serve the floors therein. The guide rails are cleaned by a mechanism detachably mounted to the elevator car which includes a plurality of cleaning devices biased against predetermined surfaces of a guide rail. Movement of the elevator car provides relative movement between the cleaning devices and the guide rail resulting in cleaning of the guide rail.

United States Patent 1191 Schirmer Sept. 16, 1975 [541 ELEVATOR SYSTEM WITH GUIDE RAIL 3,103,897 9/1963 Bonanno et a1 104/279 CLEANING DEVICES FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS 1 lnvemori Ernest Schirmer, Closter, 456,755 3/1928 Germany 104/279 207,508 9/1924 United Kingdom..... [73] Ass1gnee. Westinghouse Electric CorporatIon,

Pittsburgh Pa. 837,568 6/1960 United Kmgdom 104/279 [22] Filed: 1973 Primary ExaminerEvon C. Blunk 2 App] 417 91 Assistant Examiner.lames L. Rowland Attorney, Agent, or Firm-D. R. Lackey [52] US. Cl 187/] R; 104/279; 187/95 51 Int. 01. B66B 7/12 ABSTRACT [58] Field of Search 187/1, 95; 104/279; 1554* An elevator system including an elevator car mounted 15/55; 1 18/307? 184/3 for guided movement via guide rails in the hoistway of a building to serve the floors therein. The guide rails [56] References C'ted are cleaned by a mechanism detachably mounted to UNITED STATES PATENTS the elevator car which includes a plurality of cleaning 1,372,212 3/1921 Wettervik 104 279 UX devices biased against predetermined Surfaces of 11 1,527,541 2/1925 Dougherty 15/54 X guide rail. Movement of the elevator car provides rela- 2,042,029 5/1936 Smith 104/279 tive movement between the cleaning devices and the 2,114,721 4/1938 g y l04/279 guide rail resulting in cleaning of the guide rail. 2,475,771 7/1949 Wittner 104/279 3,004,273 10/ 1961 Rushmer 104/279 X 4 Claims, 8 Drawing Figures PATENTEB SEP 1 61975 sumlurg,

PATENTED SEP 1 6 I975 PATENTEB SE91 6 5975 W 4 B 8 B -lllllllll Illlllll FIG. 6.

FIG. 5.

ELEVATOR SYSTEM WITH GUIDE RAIL CLEANING DEVICES BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The invention relates in general to elevator systems, and more specifically to elevator systems having guide rails for guiding an elevator car in the hoistway of a building.

2. Description of the Prior Art The guide rails of an elevator system are cleaned after the initial installation thereof to remove rust preventative compounds and other foreign materials on the surfaces of the guide rail which are to be contacted by the guide rollers, and the jaws of an operated safety. Construction personnel ride the top of the elevator car and inch the car through the shaft, manually cleaning the guide rails for the elevator car, and counterweight, as they progress through the hoistway. This is a dirty, difficult, time-consuming operation, and it would be desirable to improve the rail cleaning process.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Briefly, the present invention is a new and improved elevator system including an elevator car mounted for guided movement via guide rails in the hoistway of a building whose floors are to be served by the elevator car. Cleaning mechanisms are detachably mounted to the elevator car, one adjacent each guide rail, and if a counterweight is used, cleaning mechanisms are detachably mounted on the counterweight, one adjacent each of its guide rails.

Each of the cleaning mechanisms include a plurality of cleaning devices, and means for biasing the cleaning devices against different surfaces of the associated guide rail, which surfaces are to be cleaned. The cleaning devices include scraping means, and means for applying a cleaning fluid or solvent to the rails with a wiping or scouring action to remove the films and greases not removed during the scraping operation. The scraping and cleaning fluid applying functions may be performed at different levels or stations of the cleaning mechanism; or, these functions may be performed successively by first equipping the cleaning mechanism with scrapers, and then removing the scrapers and equipping the cleaning mechanism with a supply of cleaning fluid and applicator pads for applying the cleaning fluid with a wiping or scouring action to the guide rail surfaces.

The cleaning mechanism automatically performs the cleaning function as the elevator car is moved through the hoistway. In one embodiment, the cleaning devices are mounted for rotation, utilizing the movement of the elevator car to rotate the cleaning devices against the surfaces of the guide rail to be cleaned.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS The invention may be better understood, and further advantages and uses thereof more readily apparent, when considered in view of the following detailed description of exemplary embodiments, taken with the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an elevator system constructed according to the teachings of the invention; a

FIG. 2 is an elevational view of acleaning mechanism constructed according to the teachings ofthe invention, which may be used in the elevator system shown inFIG. l;

' FIGS. 3 and 4 are sectional views of the cleaning mechanism shown in FIG. 2; 7

FIGS. 5. 6 and 7 are front and side elevations, and a plan view, respectively, of a cleaning mechanism constructed according to another embodiment of the invention; and

FIG. 8 is a scraper device having a plurality of blades mounted thereon, which may be used with the cleaning mechanism shown in FIGS. 5, 6 and 7.

DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Referring now to the drawings, and FIG. I in particular, there is shown an elevator system 10 constructed to utilize the teachings of the invention. While the invention may be applied to any type of elevator system which uses guide rails, such as traction and hydraulic systems, it is illustrated with a system of the traction type.

Elevator system 10 includes an elevator car 12 mounted for movement in a hoistway 14 of a building having a plurality of floors, such as indicated at 16, which floors are served by the elevator car 12. An elevator drive motor 18, which may be disposed in a penthouse of the building. drives a traction sheave 20 via a drive shaft 22. Hoisting ropes or cables 24 interconnect the elevator car 12 with a counterweight 26, with the hoisting ropes 24 extending from the car 12, about the traction sheave 20, and then to the counterweight 26. The hoisting ropes 24 may be connected to the crossheads or top channels of the elevator car and counterweight frames, or dead ended above the travel paths of the car and/or counterweight, depending upon the roping arrangement used.

The elevator car 12 is supported by a conventional car frame or sling 28 which includes upper and lower crosshead and safety channel members 30 and 32, respectively, and upright members or stiles, such as stile 34. The counterweight 26 also includes a frame, including upper and lower channel members 36 and 38, respectively.

The elevator car 12 and counterweight 26 are each guided during their movement up and down the hoistway 14 via a guide system which includes guide rails secured to the sides of the hoistway. The elevator car 12 is guided by guide rails 40 and 42, and the counterweight 26 is guided by guide rails 44 and 46. Roller guide shoe assemblies fixed to the elevator car and counterweight cooperate with their associated guide rails to complete the guiding system. Guide roller assemblies, such as assembly 50, are fixed to the crosshead and safety channels 30 and 32 of the elevator car 12, and to the upper and lower channels 36 and 38 of the counterweight 26.

The guide rails 40, 42, 44 and 46 for the car and counterweight must be thoroughly cleaned after the initial installation thereof in order to remove rust inhibiting compounds and other foreign matter, to assure proper friction between the guide rails and the car and counterweight safeties, as well as to remove material which may adversely affect the quality of the ride and the useful operating life of the guide roller assemblies. This cleaning function is performed manually, and is a difficult time-consuming operation. The present invention eliminates manual cleaning, automatically cleaning the guide rails with cleaning mechanisms which are moved on to the next job site following each usage thereof. The cleaning mechanisms are detachably mounted to the elevator car and counterweight, and automatically clean their associated guide rails by running the car and counterweight the length of the hatch or hoistway once or twice.

A cleaning mechanism is provided for each guide rail to be cleaned. Since the example shown in FIG. I uses four guide rails, four cleaning mechanisms 60, 62, 64 and 66 are provided. The cleaning mechanisms may be mounted at any suitable location on the car and counterweight. For example, the cleaning mechanisms may be mounted on brackets detachably secured to the car crosshead 30 and to the upper channel 36 of the counterweight 26. These mounting brackets, such as bracket 68, elevate the cleaning mechanism such that it clears the adjacent guide roller assembly.

FIG. 2 is an elevational view ofa cleaning mechanism 60 constructed according to a first embodiment of the invention, which may be used for the cleaning mechanism 60 shown in FIG. I, as well as for the cleaning mechanisms 62, 64 and 66, since all may be oflike construction. The cleaning mechanism '60 provides the function of scraping the surfaces of the guide rail 40 which are to be contacted by the guide rollers of the associated guide roller assemblies, as well as by the jaws of an associated safety (not shown), when the safety is in its operated condition. In general, these surfaces are the two opposing side roller running surfaces 70 and 72, and a face roller running surface 74, all of which are disposed on the portion of the guide rail which extends perpendicularly outward from the mounting flange 76. The cleaning mechanism 60 provides the additional function of wiping or scouring the scraped rail surfaces with a suitable cleaning fluid or solvent to remove grease films not removed by the scraping function. Cleaning mechanism 60 is constructed to provide both the scraping and cleaning fluid applying functions on a single pass of the elevator car and counterweight through the hoistway, but the two functions may be performed separately in two different passes through the hoistway, if desired.

Cleaning mechanism 60 includes an upper or first cleaning station 80, and a lower or second cleaning station 82, both of which are supported by a common mounting frame which includes a mounting base 84, a plurality of upstanding structural members 86, 88, 90 and 92, and an upper or top member 94. The structural members 86, 88, 90 and 92 are spaced to support three cleaning devices at each station, one for each of the three surfaces of the guide rail to be cleaned. As illustrated most clearly in FIG. 3, which is a crosssectional view of cleaning mechanism taken between and in the direction of arrows IlIIII, structural members 86 and 88 may each be an angular member shaped to support cleaning devices for both a side surface and the face surface of the guide rail.

The upper cleaning station includes cleaning dc vices 96, 98 and 100 for surfaces 70, 72 and 74, respectively, and the lower cleaning station 82 includes cleaning devices 102, 104 and 106 for surfaces 70, 72 and 74, respectively, of the guide rail. Each of the cleaning devices 96, 98 and 100 of the upper cleaning station 80, which is shown in plan in the cross-sectional view of cleaning mechanism 60 in FIG. 3, are structurally similar and hence only cleaning device 96 will be described in detail.

Cleaning device 96 includes scraping means for scraping a predetermined surface of guide rail 40, i.e., surface 70, and biasing means for biasing the scraping means against the surface 70 with a predetermined force. The scraping means includes a blade member 110, such as a metallic blade member formed of steel or phosphor-bronze. A low carbon steel blade formed of H16 inch thick sheet material has been found to be satisfactory. The scraping means also includes means for holding the blade member, such as spaced holder or plate members 112 and 114, which sandwich the blade 110 between them. The plate members 112 and 114 may be metallic or they may be formed of a laminated plastic. The holder members 112 and 114 slide into suitable aligning guides disposed on the facing surfaces of the two adjacent upright structural members 86 and 90.

As best illustrated in FIG. 4, which is a view of the cleaning devices 98 and 100 taken between and in the direction of arrows IVIV in FIG. 3, it is important that the blade members of the cleaning devices be oriented such that their major opposed surfaces make an angle which is other than a 90 angle with respect to the longitudinal axis of the guide rail. This will prevent the blade members from being forced into the joints between guide rail sections. A 30 angle 117 with respect to the joint 119 has been found to be satisfactory. but other angles may be used.

The biasing means for yieldably biasing the blade member 1 10 against surface 70 of the guide rail 40 with a predetermined force. for example, may include a metallic pivot arm member 116 which has one end pivotally mounted to structural member 90, such as by welding or otherwise securing a tubular or hollow metallic shaft member 1 18 to one end of the pivot arm I16, with the opening of the shaft member 118 being oriented such that its longitudinal axis is vertical. A metallic U- shaped bracket member 120 is welded or otherwise secured to structural member 90 which has aligned, vertically oriented openings in the two projecting legs of the bracket. The tubular member 118 is disposed between the spaced legs of the bracket 120, with its opening aligned with the openings in the bracket. A pin member 122 having transverse openings near each end thereof is disposed through the aligned openings, and cotter pins 124 and 126 are disposed through these transverse openings to secure the pin 122 in the position shown in FIG. 2. Thus, the pivot arm member 116 is free to pivot about the longitudinal axis of pin 122.

A carriage bolt 128, best shown in FIG. 3, is disposed through an opening in pivot arm member 116, and secured therein with a nut 130. The carriage bolt 128 is oriented with its head portion disposed against the edge of blade 110 which is opposite the edge thereof which is disposed against the guide rail surface to be scraped.

The head of the carriage bolt 128 is pressed against the blade 110 by a biasing structure which includes a bolt 131, nut 133, compression spring member 134, washer members 136 and 138, and a slotted bracket member I40. Bracket member is welded or otherwise secured to structural member 86. The bolt 131 is disposed through the slot such that its head is disposed against one side of the bracket and its threaded end extends outwardly through a suitable opening disposed in the end of pivot arm 116, which end is opposite to its pivoted end. Washer member 136, spring 134, washer member 138 and not 133 are then disposed over the end of the bolt 131. The nut is tightened to compress the spring member 134 to provide the desired force against the blade 110. A pound force provided by a five pound compression spring 134 with a 2 to 1 mechanical advantage through the lever arm 116, has been found to be satisfactory. While the biasing means illustrated and described is a suitable, rugged biasing arrangement, it is to be understood that it is set forth as an example. as other suitable biasing arrangements may be used.

The lower station 82 includes three cleaning devices 102, 104 and 106 which are similar in construction to the cleaning devices of the upper station 80, except they perform a wiping or scouring function with the aid of a cleaning fluid, instead of mechanically scraping the surfaces with a blade, and as such use a scouring or applicator pad 149 instead of a blade. A pad 149 approximately inch thick formed of an absorbant material such as felt for wiping, or formed of a fibrous metallic wool-like material for scouring, may be used, with these pads being held by holder plates similar to the plates 112 and 114 hereinbefore described, and the pads are biased against the guide rail surfaces by a biasing structure as hereinbefore described relative to the cleaning devices of the upper station.

A container 150, filled with any suitable cleaning fluid or solvent, is disposed or mounted on the top member 94 and secured thereto with a strap 152. The cleaning fluid is metered to the three cleaning devices 102, 104 and 106 via a piping system 153 which ineludes a valve 154. The valve 154 is opened at the start of a cleaning run and provides a desired flow rate for the car speed selected. A suitable car speed for scraping and wiping or scouring with solvent is about 75 feet per minute. The upper and lower stations may be equipped to perform the scraping and subsequent cleaning functions simultaneously, or the scraping function may be performed, and then the final cleaning operation using the cleaning fluid may be subsequently performed.

FIGS. 5, 6 and 7 are front and side elevational views, and a plan view, respectively, of a new and improved cleaning mechanism 60' constructed according to another embodiment of the invention, which may be used for the cleaning mechanism 60 shown in FIG. 1, as well as for the cleaning mechanisms 62, 64 and 66. Cleaning mechanism 60' is illustrated as having a single station, which would provide the scraping function during a first run of a car and counterweight through the hoistway, and a wiping or scouring function using cleaning fluid during a second run, but it is to be understood that the cleaning mechanism 60 may have two substantially similar vertically spaced stations for simultaneously performing the scraping, and cleaning function using cleaning fluid, if desired, Like reference numerals in FIGS. 2 and 5 indicate like components and will not be described again.

In general. the cleaning mechanism 60 differs from the cleaning mechanism 60 shown in FIG. 2, in that the three cleaning devices of each cleaning station are mounted for rotation, using disc or plate like cleaning tools, with the driving force being pr'oyided by fric tional contact between the cleaning devices and guide rail as the car is driven through the hoistway.

Each station includes three cleaning devices 160, 162 and 164. Cleaning devices 160 and 162 are disposed to clean the opposing surfaces 70 and 72 of the guide rail 40, and include a common shaft member 166 journaled for rotation in a bearing assembly 168 disposed at substantially the midpoint of the shaft 166. The hearing assembly 168 is supported by an arm member 170 fixed to the base member 84. First and second cleaning devices 172 and 174 are disposed on the shaft member 166, with the working or cleaning surfaces of devices 172 and 174 being biased against surfaces 70 and 72 of the guide rail 40. Spring members 176 and 178, along with washer members 180 and 182, and nuts 184 and 186, provide the necessary yieldable bias. Spring 176, washer 180 and nut 184 are disposed on one end of the shaft 166, after the disc shaped cleaning device 172 is disposed thereon, and nut 184 is tightened to provide the desired bias. In like manner spring 178, washer 182 and nut 186 are disposed on the other end of the shaft 166, after the disc shaped cleaning device 174 has been disposed thereon. Nut'l86 is then tightened to provide the desired bias of the cleaning device against the guide rail. I

Cleaning device 164 is similar to the cleaning devices for the side surfaces, including a single disc shaped cleaning device 188 mounted for rotation on a support member 190 which is fixed between, or to one of the bottom and top members 84 and 94, respectively. The axes of rotation of the disc shaped cleaning devices are disposed such that vertical movement of the cleaning devices will cause a dragging, scouring, rotational movement between the biased disc shaped cleaning devices and rail surfaces, causing the cleaning devices to rotate about their rotational axes.

When the cleaning devices are to perform a scraping function, they may be constructed as illustrated in FIG. 8, wherein a plurality of blades 192, either of circular or other suitable configuration are secured to a circular plate member 194. The cutters 192 are spaced to provide a substantially uniform scraping action across the surface of the guide rail it is to clean.

When the cleaning devices are to perform a wiping or scouring function they may have disc shaped pads secured to circular mountingplates, which pads are formed of felt, or a metallic wool material. When the wiping or scouring function is performed, cleaning fluid is metered to the cleaning devices, as hereinbefore described relative to the embodiment of the invention shown in FIG. 2.

In summary, there has been disclosed a new and improved elevator system which automatically cleans the associated guide rails in the hoistway by cleaning mechanisms which merely require the car and counterweight to be moved through the hoistway. The cleaning mechanisms are detachably mounted to the top of a car and counterweight. by universal brackets which enable them to be mounted on different car and counterweight structures, and after the cleaning function is performed, they are moved on to the next elevator installation site. The cleaning mechanism performs a scraping function to remove the majority of foreign material on the rails, and then follows up with a wiping or scouring action which utilizes cleaning fluid or solvent to remove any greases or films which may remain on the guide rail surfaces following the scraping operation.

I claim as my invention:

1. An elevator system, comprising:

an elevator car,

motive means for moving said elevator car,

guide rails each having a plurality of guide surfaces for guiding said elevator car.

and means detachably mounted on said elevator car for simultaneously cleaning the guide surfaces of at least one of said guide rails during movement of said elevator car.

said means including a plurality of rotatable support members with cleaning devices mounted thereon, said cleaning devices each being yieldably biased against a guide surface of a guide rail with their associated rotatable support members being mounted with their rotational axes offset from the guide rail to be cleaned and perpendicular to an extension of the guide surface. such that movement of the car will cause a dragging, scouring rotational movement of cleaning devices over the associated guide surfaces. 

1. An elevator system, comprising: an elevator car, motive means for moving said elevator car, guide rails each having a plurality of guide surfaces for guiding said elevator car, and means detachably mounted on said elevator car for simultaneously cleaning the guide surfaces of at least one of said guide rails during movement of said elevator car, said means including a plurality of rotatable support members with cleaning devices mounted thereon, said cleaning devices each being yieldably biased against a guide surface of a guide rail with their associated rotatable support members being mounted with their rotational axes offset from the guide rail to be cleaned and perpendicular to an extension of the guide surface, such that movement of the car will cause a dragging, scouring rotational movement of cleaning devices over the associated guide surfaces.
 2. The elevator system of claim 1 wherein the cleaning devices include blades for scraping the guide surfaces of the guide rail.
 3. The elevator system of claim 1 wherein the cleaning devices include scouring devices for cleaning the guide surfaces of the guide rail.
 4. The elevator system of claim 1 including cleaning fluid means and dispensing means for metering said cleaning fluid means onto said cleaning devices. 